The Metropolitan Council (Met Council) has announced construction of the METRO D Line, a bus rapid transit (BRT) line reaching from Brooklyn Center to Bloomington, Minn., will begin in early April following the council’s award of a $26.1-million construction contract.
This new service will improve and expand equitable access by providing fast, frequent and all-day service on the Route 5 corridor, Metro Transit’s busiest bus route.
“In this corridor, one in four households doesn’t own a car and relies on transit to get to work, play and run errands,” said Katie Roth, assistant director of bus rapid transit projects for Metro Transit. “The D Line will help deliver more equitable service in a corridor with the region’s highest ridership, even during the pandemic.”
D Line stations will provide upgraded amenities like real-time signage and heat during the winter, and improved safety measures like security cameras and emergency call boxes. Bus rapid transit is designed to provide service every 10 minutes throughout most of the day.
METRO D Line will have 34 stations
Thomas and Sons Construction Inc., will build new D Line stations at 34 intersections along:
- 44th Avenue, Emerson Avenue and Fremont Avenue in north Minneapolis;
- Chicago and Portland Avenues in south Minneapolis;
- Portland Avenue in Richfield; and
- American Boulevard in Bloomington.
The D Line will use existing C Line stations in downtown Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center. Construction along 44th Avenue in north Minneapolis and at 60th and Portland in south Minneapolis will be coordinated with street construction projects led by Hennepin County.
The project will also construct pedestrian and signal improvements at bus rapid transit station intersections, planned and funded in coordination with the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and city of Bloomington.
What to expect from D Line construction
- Construction at each intersection will generally include new road and sidewalk sections, changes to traffic signals and installation of new shelters and other station features.
- Some locations will also include utility work.
- Intersections may be fully closed to auto traffic for up to a month with additional lane restrictions for longer time periods. Outreach staff will communicate with residents, business and property owners within one block prior to construction starting at each station location.
- Sidewalk access will always be maintained on at least one side of construction zones.
- Pedestrian access to homes and businesses will be maintained.
- Buses will be detoured around construction intersections.
- Crews will install underground conduit for a fiber optic network along the length of the whole corridor to link technology at stations.
The METRO D Line will substantially replace Route 5 along an 18-mile corridor that will connect Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis, Richfield and Bloomington. It is planned to launch in late 2022. This $75-million bus rapid transit project is funded by a mix of federal grants, council funds and $20 million in state bonds.
